A: Not anymore. We've come a long way from mock croc that resembles embossed plastic, or pleather you can't bear to touch. These days the best faux skins have such a believable texture (designers even build in tiny irregularities) that you honestly can't tell they're synthetic. Only the price gives the game away—and that's another advantage: Simulated leather is less expensive than real. For purists intent on avoiding all animal products, there are vegan companies (like Matt & Nat) that not only shun leather but use vegetable-based dyes and glue.